Most public colleges in Germany, Czech Republic, Iceland, Greece, Norway and Finland are free for residents and international students. Some private schools in the European Union don't charge tuition either.

According to CNN Money, student loan debt is $1.2 trillion in the U.S. and is increasing by $2,853.88 per second. The news organization reported that 40 million Americans, a group larger than the populations of Canada, Australia and 200 other countries, have student loan debt.

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"The cost is what makes people think about going to college abroad, but then they start to see the other benefits, like learning a new language, travel opportunities and being prepared to work in a global economy," Viemont said.

But while a college education may be much cheaper in Europe, most options there don't include dining halls or on-campus housing; students are encouraged to find their own sources of food and housing -- though living arrangements are often less expensive than close-to-campus options at American schools. Plus, most European universities don't have the same fraternity and sorority organizations as those at American colleges, and football as Americans know it isn't a part of popular athletics. The word football is the European term for what Americans call soccer.